Review: Night Study - Maria V. Snyder

New York Times bestselling author Maria V. Snyder transports readers back to the realms of Sitia and Ixia in an exciting new Study novel full of magic, danger and intrigue.

Ever since being kidnapped from the Illiais Jungle as a child, Yelena Zaltana’s life has been fraught with peril. But the recent loss of her Soulfinding abilities has endangered her more than ever before. As she desperately searches for a way to reclaim her magic, her enemies are closing in, and neither Ixia nor Sitia are safe for her anymore. Especially since the growing discord between the two countries and the possibility of a war threatens everything Yelena holds dear.

Valek is determined to protect Yelena, but he’s quickly running out of options. The Commander suspects that his loyalties are divided, and he’s been keeping secrets from Valek...secrets that put him, Yelena and all their friends in terrible danger. As they uncover the various layers of the Commander’s mysterious plans, they realise it's far more sinister than they could have ever imagined.

"Maria V. Snyder has created an engaging and entirely original new fantasy, fascinating in its rich detail." — -New York Times bestselling author Mercedes Lackey on Poison Study

“This is one of those rare books that will keep readers dreaming long after they've read it.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review, on Poison Study

I'm not sure just how much more I can rave about this series without everyone getting sick of it... Buuuttttt - there's only one more book to review after this, so you're just going to have to live with it.

I was actually far, far out in the "middle-of-nowhere" when I finished the previous book, Shadow Study. I didn't even have cellphone reception and yet I made a trek to the top of a large hill, found some precious bars of signal and I immediately purchased and downloaded this book. Let me just say - #worthit

This book continues to build on the world that Snyder created and my most loved characters are still at it and being amazing (I would expect nothing less). This is a complex plot and Snyder hasn't held back at all. It's not unnecessarily complex - it is as it should be when considering the scope of the world and its politics.

It's a pretty gritty tale, but I think that is to be expected when we are dealing with assassins, spies and political masterminds.

"Should I be upset by the warm blood gushing over my hands? By the final painful exhalation from my victim? By the stench of body fluids pooling under his dead body?Yes—taking a life was never easy, no matter the circumstances.But did I regret it?No."

Snyder also took us down a road where our main characters become a lot more vulnerable and a little broken down. It's great to see the growth not only in the characters but in their various relationships and some of the twists and turns through this one made it virtually unputdownable. Gutwrenching would be a good description here.

"Dark shadows of grief haunted his expression. More than any person should be asked to bear. But that was the problem with grief. No one ever asked for it. It arrived with its bags packed for an extended stay. It settled into your best guest room and demanded to be waited on all day long, and when it finally shuffled out of the door, it left behind permanent scratches on your furniture."

Things are really hitting a boiling point now, from relationships to politics to what seems like an unavoidable war where I have people that I care about on both sides - so many things are hanging on a precipice and it's hard to say whether or not I'm going to like where they fall.

Our dream team is trying desperately to keep the peace and stop the war, but at what cost?

This is a fantastic series and overall is shaping up to be better than the original. There's more Valek, more action, more feels; I love it.

“Sneaks, spies, defenders, heroes, masterminds, tenacious bastards - it doesn't matter what you call us. We're the ones who will do whatever it takes to stop those who believe they're entitled to wealth and power at the expense of others."